Christmas Unwrapped - Advent of Joy 2024
December 15, 2024

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ADVENT OF JOY 2024

Sunday, December 15, 2024 – Pastor George M. Dupree

The third candle of advent represents the Joy that God brings to us through Jesus. Because of Jesus we can have JOY, it comes through God giving us Grace.

The Joy of the Lord is not circumstance based; it’s deeper than that.

Joy could be described as a true contentment based on internal factors rather than external factors.

The Bible describes JOY as our strength.
Nehemiah 8:10 … the joy of the LORD is your strength.

JOY – chedvah – rejoicing – Therefore REJOICING gives you strength.

Joy is TRUSTING when you want to doubt
Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

Sometimes joy will be preceded by FEAR
Luke 2:9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

Joy Comes When We Are CLOSE To God
Psalms 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Joy gives you STRENGTH to WAIT
Luke 2:26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Simeon and Anna were waiting for the coming of the Messiah for a very long time. Throughout the years circumstances changed but God’s promise was unchanging. The day they saw Him was probably like any other day. The temple was filled with the smell of incense and the sounds of prayers and worship but suddenly everything changed and they saw HIM… the ONE they were waiting for. How could they hold on all those years? The Joy Of The Lord was their strength and that Joy gave them the Strength to wait.